When A Human Wed’s A Wolf

Bed of Leaves

I felt like I was floating, but it was bumpy and very windy. My dreams had become really strange. I was too tired to wake up and try to stop it, so I just carried on sleeping. I woke up to the sounds of the birds and I felt extremely warm and safe. I also felt like there was a chill in the air though. I was very confused and still so sleepy. I could barely open my eyes. I started to stretch and I heard leaves rustling. I sat up feeling alarmed.

I was outside and there was this man, a handsome man but a man all the same. I backed up and panicked, toppling over and was immediately caught by the man.. who had just been sitting in front of me. He was behind me holding me in his arms. I got up and tried to go the other way. What was going on? How did I get here?

‘Adelaide. Please wait. We weren’t supposed to meet like this but you weren’t safe’. I couldn’t speak. It was the voice in my head. The voice in my head was now a voice out loud and I couldn’t place all my thoughts in my head correctly. I had a headache and this confusion was making it worse. I was so tired and I could feel myself drifting off again.

I knew he caught me as I fell again but I was so tired I couldn’t stop. I was trying to walk away but I don’t think my brain and my legs were working together. I woke up in the same place. It was like a loop. I’d seen this in movies and I was worried I was stuck in a loop. Only this time the voice was there before I opened my eyes. ‘Adelaide, you’re safe now. Please just lie down and listen. You’re too weak right now’.

Too weak? Was he serious? I could defend myself against this man. I wasn’t weak. I tried to push him but all that happened was him pulling me closer, leaning on his heart. I could hear it beat and it felt soothing. I didn’t understand what was happening but I felt quite safe and very sleepy, so I drifted off again.

When I finally came round it was dark. We were still out in the woods. I could feel the wind but I was warm. I wasn’t wrapped in blankets, but the man holding me felt like a radiator. He had draped a leather jacket over me too. I remember him being completely fine, so maybe it was just a very long and vivid dream.

‘Adelaide, I know you’re tired. This wasn’t supposed to happen like this. I had to get involved. You were in danger. I got angry. You’re safe now but you need to wake up.’ I started to open my eyes and the reality was that this dream was real. I was in some kind of forest in November with a strange man in a new country I’d never been to before. I sat up, really worried but still drowsy.

‘Adelaide, I’m Sylvanus. You can call me Syl. Most do, but I’m sorry we had to meet like this. I’ve been waiting for you for eighteen years. When I saw what was happening I needed to protect you. I got carried away, but you’re safe now.’ I looked at him blankly. What on earth was this man talking about? I’d been set up. Odd joke, but whatever floats your boat. Don’t know how this happened. I stood up and started laughing. ‘Okay, great Joke Syl. How do I get back to the hotel?’

He stood up too. He towered over me. Not to intimidate me, well I don’t think anyway. He was just tall. No idea how tall but I was about 5.4ft. The top of my head only came up just under his shoulders, so.. whatever height that would be. He held my hands and began to speak. I couldn’t take him seriously, I burst out laughing at this grown man holding my hands in the middle of the woods, acting all serious. I don’t think I’d ever had a prank played on me but this sure was a good one. I started to turn around and he grabbed me by my hair and spun me round to him. He bent his head down to me and bellowed ‘Adelaide, listen’.

The voice was firm, not shouting but it was very loud. It felt like the whole forest shook. I wasn’t sure whether I was a bit afraid or immediately turned on. ‘I need you to listen to me. It’s important’. We sat back down and he began to explain that he had been staying in the hotel the night I tried to check in. He had seen someone put something in my drink and he stuck around to ensure I was safe. When I fell asleep, a crowd of Men had grouped around me and he lost his temper. He let his wolf out and before he knew it the whole bar was smashed up, the men were no longer on their feet and the hotel was on fire. He had to get me out of there so he brought me here.

I’d sat there trying to piece it together. The part of the story about how he ‘let his wolf out’ was an odd way to say he had anger issues. I thanked him for protecting me, and apologised for the inconvenience, but told him I must leave. I was starting to come round and I was getting more and more afraid.